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VOLUME 49, ISSUE 35

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2016

WWW.UCSDGUARDIAN.ORG

GEISEL LIBRARY

UC SYSTEM

SUN GOD 2016: ASCE INTERVIEW PHOTO BY MATTHIAS SCHEER/GUARDIAN

University to Establish Nonbinary Restrooms

THE UCSD GUARDIAN SAT DOWN WITH ASCE TO TALK ABOUT THE UPCOMING SUN GOD FESTIVAL. READ THE EXCLUSIVE Q&A TO HEAR WHAT CHANGES TO EXPECT THIS YEAR. FEATURES, PAGE 6

GOVERNMENT NEGLECT

LEAD POISONING IN THE u.S. OPINION, PAGE 4

W. BASKETBALL WINS extends streak to eight sports, Page 12

FORECAST

MONDAY H 74 L 58

TUESDAY H 72 L 58

The University of California will convert 120 single-stall restrooms across its ten campuses by March 1. BY LISA CHIK

THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP TO BEING A MILLENNIAL IS TO CONSTANTLY DISAPPOINT THE OLDER GENERATIONS. AN EASY WAY TO DO THIS IS TO SIMPLY MOVE BACK IN WITH YOUR PARENTS WHILE YOU TRY NOT TO DROWN IN YOUR STUDENT DEBT.”

- ACT YOUR AGE HOW-TO GURU

OPINION, PAGE 4

INSIDE LIVER DISEASE................ 2 VALENTINE’S DAY ........... 4 BEHIND THE LECTERN..... 8 CROSSWORD/SUDOKU.. 10 M. BASKETBALL............ 11

See PETERS, page 3

See RESTROOMS, page 3

By LAUREN HOLT

G

eisel Library is set to open a new cafe this spring as part of the Geisel Library Revitalization Initiative, the University Office of the Librarian announced Thursday on their website. Named after the GLRI’s primary donor, Audrey Geisel, Audrey’s Cafe will be situated on the second floor East Wing. The construction of the cafe is expected to be finalized mid-to-late May and opened to the public sometime thereafter. According to Brian Schottlaender, The Audrey Geisel University Librarian, building the cafe was a practical choice, and it will increase the friendly atmosphere found in Geisel. “It really makes perfect sense, given that hundreds of students and other patrons are here studying, attending a lecture or a reading, or some other event, much of the time,” Schottlaender told the UCSD Guardian. “Having a cafe on the premises builds on the sense of community that already exists here.” Initially, Audrey’s Cafe will be open between 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and have shorter

hours over the weekend. During finals week, however, the vendor will stay open until midnight. Furthermore, UCSD’s Sports Facilities will manage the shop. Despite being run by a campus department, the cafe will only accept Triton cash, not dining dollars. In addition to Sports Facilities, Cafe Virtuoso, a local, independent roaster, and Bread & Cie, a San Diego bakery and cafe, will assist Audrey’s Cafe by stocking the cafe with food and drinks. This involvement of local businesses is what sets the cafe apart from other on-campus coffee spots, Director of Sports Facilities Planning and Management Don Chadwick explained to the Guardian. “[Audrey’s Cafe] will be quite a bit different [from Peet’s and Starbucks] because it will not have outside brand recognition,” Chadwick said. “In addition to that, it has a much more local feel to it.” Chadwick also noted that the coffee shop will be largely staffed by UCSD students, creating a number of job opportunities on campus. “We are going to be starting the operation with

See CAFE, page 2

H 71 L 55

VERBATIM

Republican congressional members to further increase interest rates on student loans, which Peters described in the conference. “We had a fight in Congress where we fought the Republican proposal to allow student loan rates on subsidized loans to double from 3.4 to 6.8 percent,” Peters said. “We were able, with President Obama’s help, to negotiate a lower increase, but the rates are still too high and don’t make any sense from a strategic perspective” Peters’ approach to college affordability differs from those like Bernie Sanders’ College for All plan — which calls for free tuition — because it focuses on making loans more affordable rather than making college free. “Free stuff is abused,” Peters said.

UCSD to Build New Cafe on Library’s Second Floor

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY H 73 L 57

UC facilities offices will convert all single-stall restrooms in UC-owned buildings into genderinclusive spaces by March 1. UC President Janet Napolitano adopted this measure, along with other efforts, in order to provide a more inclusive environment for LGBTQ students, staff and faculty. UCSD Queer and Trans People of Color Access Coordinator Jacqueline Koch told the UCSD Guardian that gender-neutral facilities would minimize the harassment, including physical violence and name-calling, that transgender and gendernonconforming people face when using the restroom. “LGBTQ people [are often] stared at, asked if they are in the wrong bathroom and hear comments like, ‘Why is a man/woman in a men’s/ women’s bathroom?’” Koch said. “Not everyone fits into the gender binary, so when nonbinary folks go to use a restroom, they often … end up going to the restrooms that they think will lead to the least amount of harassment.” UCSD Counseling and Psychological Services Wellness Peer Educator Marlee Kongthong commented on the benefits of gender-neutral restrooms for people who do follow the gender binary. “Not only is it mindful of those who are transitioning or uncomfortable with their gender, but it allows parents and caregivers to attend to children who may identify as a different gender than them, as well as folks who have caregivers or personal attendants to assist with their needs,” Kongthong told the Guardian. Over 90 UCSD-associated locations, many with multiple singlestall restrooms, are gender-neutral. Newly constructed or renovated buildings as of last July also provide at least one gender-inclusive restroom on each floor where restrooms are required or provided. The mandatory sign on the door is a triangle within a circle, without gender pictograms, and the term “Restroom” on the sign is optional. Gender-inclusive changing rooms, locker rooms and showers are also included for athletic facilities and other appropriate locations. Director of the UCSD LGBT Resource Center Shaun Travers explained that students have identified gender-inclusive restrooms as a priority on-campus, adding

CAMPUS

Congressman Reveals Student Loan Proposal Rep. Scott Peters plan, announced at UCSD, would cap interest rates at four percent. BY QUINN PIEPER

Congressman Scott Peters (D-Calif.) announced his new proposal for student loan payment at the first of multiple forums held last week about college affordability. The proposal would cap interest on all subsidized student loans to 4 percent, securing it at a number lower than it currently is at 4.3 percent. “Four percent does give the federal government a little bit of a cushion, because they’ll argue that there’s administrative costs,” Peters said at the conference in UCSD’s Bear Room. “But there shouldn’t be loans at 5, 6, 7 or 8 percent, which just doesn’t make any sense. It’s making students a profit center — which is the wrong thing to do — and it’s a bad policy when we’re trying to educate people to participate in the

high-education economy.” The next steps for the proposal — which has no certain date to set effect — entail having the proposal voted on, having co-sponsors and going through negotiations. “Our goal now is to start to chalk up co-sponsors and see if we can develop some support,” Peters said. “Then we have to get a score of what the cost is, and then we’d love to get it through the Committee and get a vote on it.” The proposal is not the first of Peters’ on the subject of college affordability. He also penned the Student Loan Repayment Assistance Act, which attempts to ease the financial burden on student employees by offering businesses and employers a tax break for matching student employee’s loan repayment. It also comes after efforts from


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